Home Energy Efficiency: 5 Fall Projects That Pay Off

By
Blanton's Air, Plumbing & Electric
|January 01, 2013

When it comes to home energy efficiency, snow can cause costly problems
for a house that’s not winterized. Don’t wait for winter to
prepare your home for the cold.
Preventive maintenance is easier and cheaper compared to repairs and replacements. It also lowers
the chances of long-term damage on your property.

You can try the following simple home maintenance tasks this fall:

Clean out the gutter. Water running off from the roof to the ground won’t
be able to pass through when fallen leaves clog up the gutter. In the
winter, that water may freeze, worsening the problem. You’ll have
to wait for the temperature to get warmer for the ice to melt just so
you can get your gutter cleared up again.

Replace or repair leaking pipes. A
leaking pipe can burst anytime. During winter, leaked water can turn to ice, which
will make the pipe repair more difficult to do. It’s better to get
a plumber to fix during the fall when it’s much more manageable
and less likely to cause more damage.

Seal any leaks in your windows and doors. Fix window and door leaks through
which cold air can come in and hot air can seep out. When these leaks
are around, your indoor heating system will not work as effectively as
it should, resulting in a low home energy efficiency that translates to
bigger bills. Use weatherstripping and caulking to seal leaks.

Paint over wooden surfaces. Moisture can do damage to wooden surfaces because
it facilitates the growth of allergy-causing and disease-carrying molds
and fungi. Water runs off the surface of bare or newly painted wood, but
not off peeling paint.

Schedule a heat pump or furnace check-up. Heat pumps and
furnaces need to be checked annually by professionals to ensure they run at optimal
performance and won’t require repairs in the midst of use.

Blanton’s Heating & A/Cwill make sure that your heat pump or furnace is running with maximum home
energy efficiency, and we’ll also perform the proper maintenance
check and repairs to save you from having to call a technician in the
middle of winter. Contact us today for more information.